Metro DC retail

[urbanvb]

Big retailers sign on for Columbia Heights revamp

Developers of DC USA, the retail emporium expected to be the linchpin in Columbia Heights' revitalization, are signing big-name retailers -- finally.

Best Buy, Bed Bath & Beyond, Washington Sports Club, Modell's and Staples have struck agreements with New York-based Grid Properties and the Gotham Organization, according to sources close to the deals.

The developers of the $140 million, 500,000-square-foot project also are in negotiations with Marshalls and other prospects.

A 173,000-square-foot Target is set to anchor DC USA, which sits on five acres along 14th Street NW. The store bought its commercial condominium in 2002 -- a reflection of how long the project has been in the works.

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[StevenRocks]

Kmart was supposed to a big part of that development, but their bankruptcy put a kink in the plans.

[DigitalSky]

I can't imagine Kmart building new stores.

[Hotlanta]

I can't imagine Kmart building new stores.

Neither can I but what about a Sears Grand in Columbia Heights?

[tombarnes]

Sears Grand? Isn't that an oxymoron? Never heard of it.

[StevenRocks]

I can't imagine Kmart building new stores.

This was pre-bankruptcy.

Sears Grand? Isn't that an oxymoron? Never heard of it.

It's an enhanced Sears, with discount store-style convenience departments added. They're pretty slick, but there aren't too many of them.

[urbanvb]

This was pre-bankruptcy.

It's an enhanced Sears, with discount store-style convenience departments added. They're pretty slick, but there aren't too many of them.

Don't recall ever seeing one of those although I have heard of them.

[StevenRocks]

I don't think there are any Sears Grand stores in Virginia or very close by. There is a Sears Essentials (a smaller verion of the concept) in Warrenton in a converted Kmart.

[urbanvb]

Clarendon comes of age with new retail, proposals

An old piece of Clarendon's commercial sector will soon mesh with the modern-day bustle of the neighborhood.

A retail building on the 3100 block of Wilson Boulevard will get a new face to match the changing look of Clarendon, which could see millions of square feet of development under an Arlington County proposal

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[urbanvb]

I found an interesting read on the Post about City Place Mall in Silver Spring. Seems the mixed use retail all around it is doing well while the mall itself is languishing.

Downtown Rebirth Stops at Mall Door

Perceived as Downscale, City Place Is Left Behind by New Silver Spring

Picture courtesy of Washington Post.

The entire downtown seemed new and vibrant. Here was the recently opened Whole Foods, across from the stadium-seat movie theater, next to the Borders bookstore, which was across the street from all sorts of new restaurants.

Then, Abdelmoumen turned the corner and walked into the City Place Mall, where his restaurant, Taste of Morocco, would be located. It was as dead as the streets outside the mall's doors were lively. "There was no action," he said. "I got scared."

The movie theater that closed more than a year ago sits vacant, its ticket windows shuttered, concession stand empty. A cobbler can be found most afternoons listening to a Spanish-language radio station and waiting for customers. City Place "is now the orphan of Silver Spring," said Blair Lee, a longtime developer and political commentator in the area. "It doesn't fit into the current reality, or even the future."

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[dfnva]

While this thread may focus more on Richmond, as a Northern VA resident, I'm wondering how all the Hecht's are going to consolidate into Macy's.....

For example, along I-95/I-395 there are 5 current/proposed Macys/Hecht's

(1) Springfield Mall (Macy's)

(2) Landmark Mall (Hecht's .... and Lord and Taylor too)

(3) Ballston Common (Hecht's)

(4) Fashion Center at Pentagon City (Macy's)

(5) New proposed Lifestyle Center in Woodbridge near Potomac Mills (originally supposed to be Hecht's, but now will be Macy's once built)

I can possibly predict the Landmark Mall Hecht's and maybe Ballston Common Mall Hecht's not surviving.

Landmark Mall has had its own troubles losing stores over the years, though I always used to like the mall, but the plan is to tear down the mall there and build a lifestyle center, but I can see Macy's thinking it would be redundant there and the Lord and Taylor is never busy, so I'll bet it will close too, leaving Sears as the only anchor.

What do you all think, if you're familiar with the area?

[tombarnes]

I haven't been out to Landmark Mall in years. I'm not surprised that they are going to call out the bulldozers. With only Sears as an anchor store, it will be tough sledding for them. I'd think they would have to have something more substantial.

[StevenRocks]

Uh, Ohhhhhkaay

Hecht's Ballston will survive but Hecht's Landmark will probably get bulldozed.

[mallguy]

How's Seven Corners Mall (?) in Arlington doing- the former enclosed mall that is now apparently a strip center with a Sears? What happened to the Lord & Taylor nearby?

Thanks.

[dfnva]

How's Seven Corners Mall (?) in Arlington doing- the former enclosed mall that is now apparently a strip center with a Sears? What happened to the Lord & Taylor nearby?

Thanks.

Several years ago, the Seven Corners mall became a strip center, the Woodies is now a Shoppers I think and the anchor at the other end became a Home Depot. The Lord and Taylor across the street became a Caldor, which subsequently became a Sears.

Another mall nearby is gone too, Skyline Mall. I went to movies there a lot when I was younger. Most of the mall has become a Target.

dan

[StevenRocks]

I've been meaning to post photos of my trip to Tysons Corner Center on its Grand Re-Opening Weekend last October for a while, but I've been very behind on my photo organization.

I posted a link on the Tysons thread: http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.ph...&gopid=407266